


Moon's Crest

by Little_Stargazer



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2019-08-01 21:23:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16292063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Stargazer/pseuds/Little_Stargazer
Summary: He had assured her they would see one another again. All she had to do was hold out until then, but it would seem that doing so would be easier said than done. A new type of evil seeks the Shikon no Tama, and she must face it head-on. A cunning prince seeks her hand, but can she genuinely trust him? Well… at least she has the Paladins of Voltron to side with.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own either series. Each belongs to their rightful owner.
> 
> Notice:  
> Redone- information can be found at the bottom.  
> Past/Flashback written in bulk italics.  
> Not 100% canon to Inuyasha.

" _I'm… not sure about any of this," Kagome mumbled with uncertainty flashing through cerulean blue eyes. One hand held tight to the Shikon no Tama while the other clutched tight to the wooden bow she had been using as her main weapon. It was snapped in half now, and it was held together just barely by the almost broken string. To endure a fate here despite her wishes… she didn't think she could manage to do that. Her hopes to see her family again after such a grueling quest had been what she held tight to, but now she had essentially been told that going back was impossible for her. The well was sealed up, and the jewel refused to abide by her wish._

_Still drained and exhausted from the fight a few days ago, she settled down on her knees with a tired sigh. Her expression was weary and revealed all too easily what she felt on the inside. A hand falling to rest on her shoulder caused her to stiffen up a bit, but she relaxed not long after at hearing a familiar voice speak to her._

" _Kagome-chan, I'm sorry," Sango sank down next to her and threw her arms around her shoulders in a supportive hug. Her cheek was pressed to her own, and she could feel the faint scratch of the bandage that covered a healing wound. Kagome closed her eyes and leaned into the brunette's hold._

" _I don't know how to deal with this," she admitted, "up until now I've always been able to go back, but now I can't?" Tears stung in her eyes as she fought to keep her voice level. "If I had known the last time would have been_ _ **the**_   _last time, then I would have spent it better." She would have spent more time playing soccer and Souta's favorite video games with him. She would have listened to her grandfather's strange tales all over again until she fell asleep and woke to him scolding her for not paying attention. She would have spent hours cooking with her mother and completing the scrapbook they worked on together before her trips started. She definitely wouldn't have wasted it holed up in her room studying for a dumb test until she fell asleep at her desk, that's for sure. "A warning would have been nice, I guess," she mumbled as she let Sango pull her into a soft hug. Her head was cradled against her chest, and she could hear the steady drum of her heartbeat._

_Their worries of fighting were over for now. Naraku had been defeated, and they had managed to scrape by few deaths- Kikyo and Inuyasha had ended up dying during the fight, as well as a few of Kouga's allies. Though there had also been a lot of injuries and several people were still on bedrest due to their wounds. At that thought, Kagome glanced up and glared at Sango._

" _You're supposed to be laying down still," she stated as she finally remembered the awful puncture the slayer had received through her midsection. "Naraku managed to break your armor, and you got pretty hurt," she said as she stood up and assisted the brunette in getting back onto her feet._

" _I got worried about you when you left after wrapping my wounds. You left without saying anything, so I decided to follow you to make sure nothing happened."_

_A soft smile appeared on her face at Sango's worried words, but she soon shook her head and began to push her along. "No offense, but I don't think you'd be able to fight if anything did come after me. One bad move and you'd start bleeding all over again!"_

_Though unamused, Sango gave a dry laugh in response. "I'm aware…" she sighed and looked at her feet. "Just… come back with me so no one has to worry about you. You're not in the best state, either, you know," she stated as she eyed the bandages that peeked out from under her sleeve and from under the collar of her shirt._

_A tiny smile appeared on her face as she nodded her head and linked arms with the slayer. "Fine," she said, "we'll go back together."_

_If she could not return to her rightful time, then at least she still had her companions and friends at her side. As long as she had them, then she could face this fate and keep a bright outlook._

* * *

_It had been almost a full year since she had ended up stuck out here, and she was adjusting to the aspect of having to spend the rest of her days here. She still visited the well a few times every couple of months, but each time she went there was no way to open it back up._

_Green vines growing up from the depths only got bigger with each visit. She no longer yanked them out by accident when climbing out of the well. The wood was tangled by the vines growing out of it and clinging tight to the four sides. Kagome settled down on her knees and ran a hand along a small part of the still-visible wood, and bent her head forward with a frown weighing her expression down._

_After spending a minute there she gathered her things back up and continued on her way. She eyed the half-full basket she toted with a worried eye. More and more villagers were falling ill to an unknown virus, and eleven had already passed away due to it - with Miroku being one of them. It seemed to be spreading too quick to catch and stop, and she was running herself ragged making medicine batch after batch. With Kaede now gone, the task now fell on her shoulders._

_She spared the well one last parting glance and continued on her way past it to head to the clearing where the next needed herbs could be found en masse. When she reached the spot, she knelt forward to her hands and knees as she began her search._

_No matter how hard she searched, she could not find enough. She had been collecting them routinely, and the patch was steadily getting picked empty due to the demand of them for the medicine. She worried her lower lip in between her teeth as she looked at the batch of fifteen she had managed to gather._

_It would be enough for a few, but it might not be enough for all that were sick… not unless she made the doses smaller, but if she did that then it might not be good enough. She needed to locate a bigger patch before things got worse, but, for now, she needed to head back and start on the medicine before nightfall. She couldn't search for herbs in the night, lest she end up picking the wrong ones or end up missing a cluster altogether. She stood up and prayed that no one would get claimed by the virus tonight on her way back to the village._

…

" _You need to get your rest too…" Sango said. She attempted to push herself into an upwards position, only to get pressed back down onto the futon. A hand traced over her forehead before getting pulled back, and a small clank of Kagome stirring something in glass could be heard. "You're going to exhaust yourself if you keep going like this."_

" _Sango-chan, that's enough," Kagome said with a small smile coming to rest on her features. "You need to preserve your strength if you're going to get better," she told her. A few moments passed by before Kagome finally assisted her in sitting up some, and something was handed to her. "Drink this and lay back down so you can rest."_

_As Sango drank the medicine given to her and settled back down, Kagome stood up and made her way to the door with more of the same medicine stored in a container. "I'm going to see the rest. I'll be back to check in on you later, okay?"_

" _... okay…" the quiet murmur of Sango could be heard as she finally went back to sleep, and Kagome gave her one last glance before ducking out of the hut to make her rounds._

_She repeated her actions over and over that night, from the late hours and up until the sun's rise. Come morning she had not gotten any rest and she was close to crumbling to the ground out of exhaustion. She bit back her desire for sleep and continued on her way. She went out as planned to try and find a new source to gather the needed herbs._

* * *

_Her attempts to stomp the virus out had been in vain in the end, it seemed. It stormed through the village and claimed everyone who's bodies succumbed to it. It had no effect on her, she had learned this while tending to the others._

_The mass of graves before her was the only indication that there had once been life in this area. Three survivors had been left out of the many due to not being afflicted by the sickness._

_Kirara, Shippo, and herself had made it out of the cloud of death, but she found her spirits weighed down more than they had ever been. In no more than a year, her hope for a life with her friends in the pleasant village had been wiped away and stolen from her hands. Her hold on the two demons tightened as tears burned in her eyes, and she turned to walk away from the hauntingly silent place._

…

_The bad continued to form around her, only this time it was in the form of a constant barrage of demons coming after her. They sought to get the jewel from her, and she found having to fight them off with limited help was a challenge she couldn't manage well. Weaponless, she had to resort to her spiritual energy. When she didn't have the time to replenish it, it didn't last long. She had never gotten full and proper training on her abilities due to the limited time she had in the first place, and it showed in her lacking skillfulness._

_Wounded and exhausted, she had no other choice than to flee from the battle. Kirara was in no better shape than her, and Shippo couldn't hold his own against the demons that pursued them._

_She ran blindly through the forest in hopes that she'd manage to get lost from them among the trees long enough to rest for a moment or two and think of something that would actually suffice. Her path led her to a barren cliffside that dropped off to a river. She spared a quick glance behind her, but the demons that chased after her were still coming for her and catching up much too quickly. Kagome took one last look down the cliff she stood on and placed the two demons upon her shoulders._

" _Hold on," she instructed them, and she plunged them all off the cliff and into the river below._

_She hit the water and got swept along in the slow-moving current. She was relieved that the pace of the current wasn't faster. She drifted through the river until a place where she could climb out onto came into sight. She swam for it and pulled the three of them out of the water with a heavy sigh falling from her lips._

" _At least we're out of that issue for now," she mumbled under her breath and forced herself up onto her feet. Her clothing was wet and heavy on her, but she continued ahead with the two demons held tight to her chest._

_After a few minutes of walking, she came across a clearing, and she finally set the two down so she could work on building a fire. Once lit, she settled down not far off from it and allowed herself the rest she had been in need of for so long._

* * *

_She had ended up removing her clothing while it dried, and she now sat with her body hidden by Kirara's large tails. The fire cat had taken on her larger form when asked, and now Shippo and herself lounged against the large beast. She was much warmer than she had been before, and she absentmindedly began to pet Kirara as she sat there. A content purr started to rumble from her, and a warm smile appeared on Kagome's face as she kept petting._

_The sleeping kit next to her was curled up as close as he could be into her side, and she swapped her attention to watch him._

_She was okay, as long she had them._

_Silence had claimed the area, and, soon, nothing other than the crackling fire could be heard. She closed her eyes and rested against Kirara, but the peace was soon interrupted by the sound of a snapping twig. Kagome sat up some, and Kirara turned towards the direction the sound had originated from with a low growl tearing from her throat in warning._

_The aura she felt was familiar- it was Sesshoumaru's. She turned to face the direction he came from, eyeing it with curiosity as he made his appearance known. She burrowed herself more into Kirara to hide her body as he came to a halt in front of her. Their eyes met, and she arched a brow in unhidden confusion._

" _Sesshoumaru-sama?"_

_He settled down across from her without a word, and she had to bite her lip to keep from rolling her eyes at his silence. She waited for him to speak, and, when he finally did, she placed her attention back on him._

" _When placing your scent, I was taken by surprise to find you out so far from your usual territory," he stated in his normal monotone drawl. Kagome blinked a few times before shrugging._

" _I was chased by demons and I couldn't keep fighting them."_

_She felt just a little bit uncomfortable under his steady glare. She was reminded all over again at her lack of clothing, and she averted her gaze to stare into the fire that separated them. He would not gaze lecherously at her body, she knew that, but she was still uncomfortable at being caught in such a state by the frightening demon lord._

" _What are you doing out here?" she asked then, "why did you bother to come out to meet me like this?"_

_His silence returned, and she slowly glanced back up at him as she sought the answer to her questions. She was greeted by him observing her, and she began to feel a bit irritated with his staring. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at him._

" _I have a request for you, Miko."_

_His words caused her to sit up some out of surprise. "You need me for something?" she asked. She was unable to keep her disbelief from her voice._

" _I am not overjoyed at having to say it, but yes," he responded. "It will not be for nothing on your end," he added on after a brief pause._

_His response made her tilt her head to the side, and she silently encouraged him to explain what he meant by his words._

" _Should everything go as it is meant to, you will live to see your family again," he told her. Kagome perked up a bit more at hearing that. The hope shining in her eyes was warmed by the auburn glow of the flames between them._

" _But how would that be possible?" she asked. "The jewel won't allow me to go back, and I can't live through five-hundred years as I am."_

" _I am aware of that dilemma that looms over you," he stated. "You will come with me, and you will be told of what I desire of you."_

" _What if I don't want to?" she questioned back._

" _Why would you not want to? There is nothing you have to lose from doing this. You only have things to gain, Miko."_

_She pursed her lips together in a thin line before sighing. After everything, she knew she was able to trust Sesshoumaru's words. He wasn't the type to purposely lie, nor was he someone who would offer false promises. He was unafraid to be honest, no matter how cruel that honesty might be to those on the receiving end. After a moment's thought, she nodded her head._

" _Fine," she stated, "I'll help you in any way I can, Sesshoumaru-sama."_

* * *

The twin-tailed cat she held was nestled against her stomach in contentment as she continued to comb her fingers through the creme-colored fur. Soft, blue eyes speckled with gold watched the feline with a gentle gaze. It wasn't often that she had moments like this, where she could sit and enjoy some time on her own. She turned her gaze up to watch the gently swaying tree branches above her head, and she took a deep breath as she savored the clean air surrounding the calm river at her side.

Not long ago she had gotten out of training with Sesshoumaru, and her muscles were steadily losing the ache that could be felt in them. He lacked the comprehension of taking things easy, no matter who he was up against. While she appreciated his desire to train her, she definitely didn't like the pain she was left in afterward. However, she saw that because he was so tough on her, he wanted her to become as strong as she possibly could in every meaning of that word. He wanted her strong enough to survive without his protection, and she would fulfill that wish for him.

Two centuries had gone by already, and she was well prepared to face the following three that were still to come.

Her hand paused in its petting, and she let it fall to the grass that filled the peaceful clearing she enjoyed going to when she desired to get away from the demon.

In the two-hundred years that she had endured already, she had been trying to grow used to this new life she had to fit into. Sesshoumaru did not let any information slip past her, and he made certain she understood her role well, but it was still almost too much for her to adapt to. She tried her best to grow accustomed to it, but it was not an easy task to conform to.

One day she was a miko, and the following week she was made into  _this_  with the help of Sesshoumaru's aura, blood, and lifeforce.

She lifted a hand and brushed her fingertips along the light pink crescent mark that peeked out from underneath her bangs.

"A woman to bear a pink mark that will one day become silver under the moon's influence. A woman to keep peace, serenity, and purity when all things turn foul and evil. A woman capable of loving and nurturing life in the glow of the stars," she muttered to herself, repeating the words Sesshoumaru had said to her two-hundred years ago. She lowered her hand and curled it around the Shikon no Tama. "Between good and evil, good shall always arise victoriously. Evil shall never triumph over the true Maiden of the Moon- lest she falls in the face of cruel foes wishing to gain control of her."

She sighed then and shook her head. Throughout the years she found herself unable to forget those words, and she carved them deep into her brain.

Sesshoumaru; her brother, her warrior who would loyally attend her throughout these years as he educated her in her role and task, her mentor that would protect her no matter the cost until she could stand on her own feet for her tasks. From training to knowledge, he would provide her with what she required to know and even beyond that.

Despite his blood that now ran through her veins, she still had her priestess abilities.

" _Given how you still hold dominion over your powers, then it seems my choice was right," Sesshoumaru commented as he observed her in her trembling and quivering state. He paid no mind to the flinches of pain she would give, nor did he become worried by how she'd whimper every now and again. "You will survive the initial process- good. You should be able to endure the pain without fainting, at least."_

_She focused on his voice to keep her from giving into the pain she felt washing through her, wave after wave._

" _If you were anyone else, I presume that this would have claimed your life by now," he continued. "I suppose the jewel's influence has some hand in it, as well."_

_Her body felt burning hot, almost as if she were boiling from the inside out. Every inch, every part of her body ached. Her blood was changing-_ _ **she could feel it thrumming and sizzling under her flesh and through her veins.**_   _She cried out in unrepressed agony. Tears fell down her cheeks without her control anymore as she fought against how she was bound to the table by Sesshoumaru's own means. Her teeth changed shape within her mouth, her canines sharpening into dagger-sharp fangs that she dug into her lower lip in a weak attempt to silence her cries. Her nails lengthened and took on that same pink color she had coloring her markings, and she buried them into the skin of her legs to keep from reaching out and clawing into her binds._

" _The pain will subside eventually," he commented then. "Though, through our connection, I can feel that you are under a lot of stress and throes." He approached her and placed his hand to her forehead. "Try to focus on my voice instead of the pain you feel flooding through your body. There is nothing that will lighten it until it fades on its own, but you can ignore it to where it doesn't hinder your thought process."_

_She had been fighting to do that this entire time, yet it wasn't helping her! She opened her eyes the best she could in order to place her attention on Sesshoumaru. She looked at him for a moment before breathing deeply and focusing her attention on the ceiling. Her breathing was still labored as she felt Sesshoumaru trail his nails down the side of her face. He stilled his movement upon cupping her cheek, and he dragged his thumb across the stripe visible there._

" _It will end soon. Feel proud that you will survive a trial that would kill others."_

Kagome pressed the back of her head against the tree she sat by as she cleared those thoughts from her mind. She had very little time to spend like this, and she certainly did not wish to waste it by thinking about that.

* * *

More, more, ever more continued to come after her to seek the Shikon no Tama. Not just the jewel anymore, no, now they also sought her with the same desire.

_To have her powers and her very being._

They refused to give in, no matter how many had died before them in the same filthy pursuit.

"Take the jewel and leave this place," Sesshoumaru ordered her. "Wish upon it and have it take you far out of reach."

"What? No!" She responded right away. "I refuse to leave you in this mess, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"I will manage fine on my own against these beings, but they will never stop if you remain here as you are," he told her. "You have yet to come into your full power and I will not risk you falling victim due to that."

"But-"

"I am not giving you a choice on this," he said. He turned and pressed his palm to the side of her face. He towered over her easily, but he knelt forward and pressed their markings together in a silent gesture. She nearly stumbled backward at feeling the sudden contact by him, but his grip on her did not allow it. "If you remain here, you will not be able to properly heal. Your wounds are already bad enough," he stated as he looked her over.

The once white dress she wore was now stained red, and, peeking out through several tears were gashes and claw marks that were unable to heal due to her constant movement. Her eyes had dulled in her exhaustion, and he could feel her shaking under his fingertips.

"Leave now, before more come for you," he demanded. "I will find you again, Sister," he said and brushed his fingers through her hair one last time. " _We will find each other if we must."_

Those words encouraged her to do as he desired. She nodded her head before taking a few steps back. A large head nudged against her back, and she heard a rumbling roar call for her attention. She glanced back, her eyes landing on the large, two-tailed beast that stood loyally at her side. With a tired nod, Kagome mounted her back and let Kirara take her from the field of bloody and shredded bodies.

Once she was in a clear area, far away from what pursued her, she lifted a hand and curled it around the pink jewel that hung from around her neck. Before she made the wish, she saw Kirara revert back to her smaller form. She leaped into her arms before finally letting herself collapse in exhaustion.

"Here my wish, Shikon no Tama," Kagome began, her voice wavering due to her tiredness. Her body felt heavy, but she ignored that feeling. A bright pink light swirled up and began to swallow her whole as the jewel responded to her call. She closed her eyes and clutched it tighter. "Take me far away from this world," she said. She knew of its way of twisting the wishes asked of it, but she didn't care. "Get me away from my pursuers so they stop coming after Sesshoumaru-sama."

" _ **Very well…"**_

A low rumble she could understand echoed through her ears. She kept her eyes closed as the things around her began to fade. The auras that were familiar to her began to leave her senses, and soon nothing recognizable remained.

When her feet touched solid ground, she fell to her knees. Her legs were no longer able to support her weight due to the exhaustion she felt. Finally away from all of the fighting, she was able to breathe. Her body was sore, and her consciousness only lasted a few seconds more before she fell to the side, completely out cold.

She did not know where she was, but she could rest at last. That was all her body and mind cared about at that instant.


	2. Chapter One

The place she woke up in was unfamiliar to her, and it brought along a faint sense of worry and panic. The bed she rested on, while soft, smelt unfamiliar, and memories of her last moments with Sesshoumaru returned front and center. She combed her clawed fingers through her messy hair as she pushed herself off of the bed.

There were people present in this place. She could smell them. One or two of those scents were present on her, though they were not strong or familiar to her. Her nose twitched a few times as she placed her feet on the ground, and she cautiously made her way to the door. She pressed a pointed ear against it to listen for anyone who may be approaching or standing guard, but she could hear no one close.

She fiddled with the door for a moment until it opened, and she peeked her head out into the hall. Her senses were muddled to a point where they were nearly useless at this moment. The auras of those present could not be felt by her due to her severely depleted strength. Kagome bit her lip before taking a test step out into the hallway. No one showed up, and no noise greeted her sensitive hearing, and she took that as encouragement to continue on her way.

Where even was she? She had no clue. She knew she hadn't fallen asleep here, as memories of landing on a dirt and rock covered land flashed through her mind. She fell deeper and deeper into her own thoughts as she silently explored the area on quiet feet. She continued forward with cautious steps. None of this was familiar to her- from either time she had lived in.

With her senses impaired and herself distracted by her thoughts, she rounded a corner without paying any attention. She collided with someone heading the opposite direction, and she got knocked backward with a gasp as she ran straight into them. She hit the ground with a loud, startled yelp. A new surge of pain could be felt running along her tailbone. A second later, she blinked a few times and looked up. Her eyes met an unfamiliar pair, and she scooted backward until her back had gotten pressed against the wall. She barred her fangs in warning and glared up at him.

"Who are you, and why have you abducted me?" she demanded of him, a cautious growl leaking into her voice. Her words served to shock him if his expression was anything to go by. Her growl got louder when he stepped closer, and he eventually stepped back to give her more room. "Where am I, and how did you manage to find me?"

There was a wary light shining in her eyes, a light of distrust and unease. Shiro backed up a few extra steps at catching sight of it before he kneeled in front of her to get on eye-level with the visibly startled and shaken girl.

"Before any of that gets answered, I need you to calm down. Take a moment to breathe. No one here wants to hurt you, so don't worry about that."

"..." Kagome glared at him in obvious unease. "Why should I believe you? I have no reason to believe a single word you say."

Shiro sighed upon hearing her say that. She had a point, after all. He didn't blame her for her lack of trust. When Keith and he had found her stranded she wasn't in good shape. Full of cuts and covered in blood and dirt, she looked like she had been through a war. She hadn't been the only one recovered. Along with her, they had found a small cream and black-colored feline. She had been sitting guard over her when they had been found, despite her being in a very similar condition.

Allura had taken to looking after the cat as she healed.

At the thought of the cat, an idea came to Shiro.

"When we found you, you weren't alone," he said. His words caught her interest instantly, and she leveled her blue and gold eyes on his face expectantly. "There was a cat found with you. Would you like to go see her?" he asked.

"... That's right. Kirara was with me!" She shot up, using the wall behind her as leverage to assist her in getting back up on her feet. When she stumbled a bit in her pursuit, she ended up getting caught by the man across from her. She accepted his help in steadying herself before she put more distance between them. "She's okay, right?" Kagome asked. Her eyes sparkled with a bold display of worry. "Where is she?"

"She's okay," he assured her. "She's found her way to your side every morning since she was able to move."

"May… may I see her?" she asked him. "I'll feel a lot more at ease if I can see Kirara," Kagome said with a certain nod. She knew that she would feel better at having Kirara back in her arms.

"Of course," he responded, his voice going soft at hearing how worriedly she posed the question to him. Her unease seemed to have faded quite a bit at the mention of the cat. Shiro stood up and extended a hand to her. Though still a bit hesitant, she reached for it and placed her smaller one against his palm. "What's your name?" he asked her.

"... Kagome," she relented and told him. She looked up at him and met his eyes. "Who are you?" she asked.

"Shiro," was his response, and he offered her a smile. "Let's take you to see your cat."

Though small, a smile appeared on her face. "Yes, please."

* * *

A pair of eyes were focused on him, and Keith found it hard to concentrate. He turned around to face the cat that insisted on following him around- seeing how she wasn't insistent of remaining by her owner's side anymore. She sat along the walls in the training deck as she watched him with those large, rarely-blinking eyes. It was unnerving.  _Really_  unnerving.

Keith turned to face the cat with a glare on his face. "What do you want from me?" he asked it, only to receive a blank stare in return. He crouched down a few inches away from it, and only then did she move.

"Mew," she gave tiny noise as she approached him, rubbing her face along his legs and hands. She began to purr loudly before suddenly stopping all movement. A second later she leaped up and jumped on the top of his head.

"Leave me alone!" he told the cat, reaching up to grip her by the scruff of her neck so he could remove her from her newfound perch. "Go chase those mice if you want something to bother!"

In response, all he got was that blank stare. He placed her back on the ground, and her twin tails began to flick in a lazy rhythm. He sighed and sat down, crossing his legs not long after. Kirara took that as a sign to approach him again, and she walked freely onto his lap before settling down with a content purr rumbling in her chest.

"... you just want someone to sit with you?" Keith asked out loud, not that he expected an answer in response. "Maybe you just miss your owner's attention?" He sighed and shook his head. "I don't know why you chose to follow me around, though…"

"Probably because she seems to like you," a soft voice cut through the silence in the room, and Keith turned to face the source of it. His eyes landed on the small woman found days ago. She stood in the company of Shiro.

At hearing her voice, Kirara perked up and dashed over to her without any hesitation. She leaped up into her arms and nuzzled against her bosom before settling down comfortably in her arms.

"Kirara has picky tastes in who she chooses to attach herself to," Kagome continued as she began to pet the cat. Her voice took on a fond tone, and as did her eyes, as if she was recalling precious moments to her. "Before me, she fought alongside to a powerful warrior, my friend. Before her, Kirara was at the side of a talented swordswoman, as well. There must be something about you that she likes, or else she wouldn't have resorted to following you around. She doesn't mind being on her own."

"I asked Lance where the cat had run off to, and he said it's been stuck to you for the past few days," Shiro commented, "so we came to find you. Looks like he was right."

Kagome smiled up at the new figure. Even without her senses, she didn't feel as uncomfortable as before. She knew Kirara, and she knew that she wouldn't be so calm if things were bad, and she definitely wouldn't have willingly associated with someone there if she had any sort of discomfort. Though, she still had questions she wanted to get answered. Kagome looked up at Shiro.

"Shiro, I would like it if my questions got answered," she told him. "I'm really confused as to where I am and about several others things."

"We can do that," he told her with a nod of his head. "You're calmer than before. That's good."

"I know Kirara wouldn't be so friendly if she didn't trust any of you- or just one, for that matter," she told him. "She's kept this form, and that means she doesn't feel the need to be hostile or aggressive."

"She has another form?" Keith finally spoke for the first time since he became aware of the two. Kagome nodded and smiled.

"Let's not worry about that unless you end up witnessing it," she told them. "She's a lot less tiny in that form, and a lot more threatening. She's fought alongside warriors, after all."

The fact that they hadn't even seen Kirara's other form soothed her a bit more. Kirara truly didn't feel a speck of unease here, and that was a good thing. She had less to worry about here for the time being. Since she still lacked her ability to read auras, that information came as a blessing. She had no idea when that skill would return to her, but she hoped it would soon. Being without it left her feeling blinded.

Kagome shook her head and looked up at both men with her.

"Please, take me to the rest of your pack. I would like to meet them all. There are quite a few I haven't met, correct?"

"Yeah," Shiro nodded and began to lead those with him to find the others. Though following the farthest back, Keith shot her a confused look.

"... Pack?"

* * *

Her analysis of Kirara's reaction to them proved to be accurate. None of them came off as malicious or questionable to her- well, outside of Lance's poor attempts at flirting with her.

"Thank you so much for healing me and helping me," she told the group around her. She bowed to them. When she straightened her spine back, she lifted a hand and fixed her bangs so they covered her marking properly. She wasn't sure if any of them would know what it meant, or if anyone had seen it before now, but she'd rather not risk it. Considering the trouble that had swarmed to her when she had been with Sesshoumaru, she didn't want to risk having something similar do the same to her out here.

"Where are you from?" Allura asked her. The white-haired Altean approached the girl and offered her a warm smile. "I imagine you must have quite a few people worried about you, given the condition you were found in."

"Ah…" Kagome downcasted her gaze to the flooring underneath her. Kirara looked up at her and let out a soft  _mew_  as she sensed the ache that shot through her chest at the question. "Returning to where I am from isn't a good idea," she said then.

"Why not?" Allura asked her. The smile on her face twisted into a concerned frown. "Is your home plagued with troubles?"

"We might be able to help if that's the case," Shiro spoke up. Kagome looked at him before shaking her head to decline the idea altogether.

"No, I don't really think that would be possible," she answered. "The offer is nice, but I doubt any good would come from it."

"Could you explain what you mean?" Coran, the other Altean among the humans present asked. "I think a lot of us are puzzled by your words."

How could she explain? The humans that were present were from Earth, and she could tell that the jewel had brought her ahead in time. She was no longer in the past, and she was no longer on Earth. The thought of that brought on a headache, and she winced in discomfort as it pounded through her head.

If the stupid thing had just let her go back to her rightful time all those years ago, this wouldn't be happening!

"I think it would be for the best if we let this conversation drop for now," Allura said upon spotting Kagome's discomfort. "Kagome must be feeling a lot of conflicting emotions right now. This topic can be revisited once she feels better."

"Thank you, Allura," Kagome mumbled in relief at hearing those words. The subject wouldn't be pushed any further, and it allowed her some room to breathe.

Allura approached her once more and gently took her by her arms as the rest in the room filed out in order to return to what they were doing prior to being called there. She looked her over with a smile once again. "How about you and I locate a change of clothes for you? I'm sure you must be quite uncomfortable in that filthy dress."

"I'd really appreciate that," Kagome responded. "Though, a bath would be much better."

"Of course," she assured her. She looked her over before reaching out and brushing back her mass of dark locks. "Your hair is in need of a wash-" she stopped in the middle of her sentence, and Kagome reeled away from her as if the touch had burned her.

Panic flashed across her features before it vanished and was replaced by wary caution. Kirara sat up some and purred a bit louder as she nuzzled against her again in an attempt to soothe her some. Kagome was tense, eyeing Allura as she waited for her to say something. Seeing the mark had obviously gotten her attention. Did she know what it was? If she didn't, Kagome saw no reason for her to pause so abruptly. But how-?

"Please don't be so alarmed," Allura commented and held her hands up in a peaceful motion. "You have no reason to be fearful of me."

Kagome barred her fangs in a quiet warning. The action was not aggressive in the slightest, but it conveyed her worry.

"I have no intention of harming you, Kagome," Allura told her. It was silent between them, and Allura took a step closer to her. "May I take another look? I would like to be sure of something."

When Kagome did not respond or move, Allura took that as a yes to her question. She closed the distance between them and gently brushed her bangs back out of the way in order to fully expose the pink crescent mark that had been hidden by them. Allura's mouth parted a bit as her eyes widened in amazement.

"You have the mark of the moon…" Allura trailed off, almost as though she was having issues in forming words at that moment. The fact she was rendered like that caused Kagome to feel a wave of confusion.

How was it that Allura knew what her marking was?

Kagome lifted a hand and took Allura by her wrist, curling her fingers around it so she could pull her arm down a bit. She met her stare head-on with confusion flashing alive in her eyes.

"How do you know what my mark means?" she asked. "I'm so far away from home. I didn't figure I'd be recognized so far away."

Allura smiled at her comment. "Tales of beings such as you spread throughout the entire cosmos. There are beings throughout the universe that bear marks similar to yours. The pink marking is completely unheard of outside of ancient text, however."

"Really?" Kagome was surprised to hear those words, and her expression showed that surprise. She lifted a hand and curled it around the pink jewel dangling from the string tied around her neck. "I…" She didn't know what to say in response to Allura's statement. That… Did that mean she'd have to worry about forces coming for her out here, as well? Had her move been completely useless in the long run?

"You have nothing to worry about as long as you are here with us," Allura commented as if she could tell exactly what Kagome was thinking. She placed both hands on Kagome's shoulders and gave them a comforting squeeze. "I will not allow the Galra to get their hands on you," she said then, her voice dipping a bit softer as though she spoke those words to herself.

"Allura…" She felt her heart flutter a bit shyly at hearing her proclaim those words in utter seriousness. She felt a bit bashful, and she looked away with a tiny smile lifting at her lips.

The Altean offered her a warm smile and pulled her along gently. "You are in need of a bath, correct?" At Kagome's nod, Allura took to pulling her forward. "Come," she said, "while you bathe, I will locate some clean clothing for you to wear."

"Thank you so much," Kagome managed in response. "That sounds wonderful."


	3. Chapter Two

The hot water she lounged in felt almost like paradise. It couldn't be compared to the hot springs she had gotten accustomed to, of course, but it still felt wonderful after everything. She sat up some to take a quick look around the room, pausing her search when her eyes landed on the dozing form of Kirara. She slept on the towels Allura had set out for her. A small smile tilted Kagome's lips, and she sat back so she could fall into a more relaxed position.

With Allura out searching for a change of clothing for her, it left the room she occupied rather quiet. The sloshing of the water settled down finally as she dropped her hands back into the warmth. Right as she settled herself down, she found her mind changing direction before she could stop herself. Her thoughts went from this place and the people there to her own family. The family that was now so far away from her, so far that it now felt impossible to reunite with them.

Tears stung in her eyes as she squeezed them shut.

For the first time since awakening, she was able to think about her family. Things felt peaceful here, and she now had nothing else to think about- even if she wanted to at that moment.

Before, all she had to do was wait through the five-hundred years to meet her family once more. Sure, it was a long time, but accepting Sesshoumaru's proposition had enabled her to do so. But… she supposed that even he wouldn't be able to foresee the trouble that would come in between those years. Demons searched for the jewel, they searched for  _her._  Nothing could stop them if she was still there.

At the thought of Sesshoumaru, she began to wonder how he was holding up- wherever he was in this day and age. She wondered… how many years had passed since her departure on Earth? How long had he been searching for her? … what year was it on Earth?

The humans aboard this ship with her definitely reminded her of modern-days. If that were the case, then would she be able to get home before her time ticked past her? Would there be a day where she was finally reunited with her family? She wanted to hope, she truly did, but being out here made it hard to find a sturdy basis for that hope.

She was starting over out here- again, just like she had to do so long ago when she got stuck in the past. Well… if she had to rebuild her life up again, she was thankful that she wasn't alone. She was happy with people around her.

But still…

A tear slipped down her cheek, and she lifted her hands from the water to cover her face with them. It still hurt to be back at the start all over again. Her friends were gone, and her family was still so far out of reach. Her shoulders trembled as she sank her teeth into her lower lip to silence her cries.

Something cold pressed against the tip of her ear, and she all but jumped. Kagome blinked the tears from her eyes, a few more slipping free in the process, as she turned to search for the source. Her gaze landed on Kirara, who sat on the edge of the tub. She stared at her with wide eyes before she let out a tiny  _meow_  and nudged Kagome with her nose again. Though small, a smile appeared on her face.

"That's right…" she mumbled to herself before reaching to pluck Kirara up from where she sat. She cradled her against her chest, being mindful not to let her dip too much into the water. "I have you here with me, don't I? Then I'm not on my own," she commented as she hugged Kirara close.

There was a knock on the door, and this time Kagome actually did jump. Kirara nearly slipped all the way into the water, and she made a break for it. She bounded off of Kagome's head before she could end up submerged, and she landed on the floor a few paces away. The door opened to reveal Allura. She walked in with an article of clothing draped over her arm.

"I'm unsure of how this will fit you, but it is the best I could find," she told the girl still in the tub before holding it up to give her a full look at it. "At the very least, it's a whole lot better than your destroyed dress."

Kagome smiled and lifted herself from the tub. She wrapped a towel around her body before doing the same to her hair. "I'm not picky with clothing, just as long as it's clean," she admitted. She reached for the dress and observed it under a closer eye. After giving a shrug, she dried her body off and began to get dressed.

It was a bit uncomfortable and a bit snug in some places, she realized not long after slipping it on. Whereas her other dress was loose and freeing to make combat easier, this one was much tighter and form-fitting. It clung to her bust and hips enough to make her a bit self-conscious. It was also long on her, and the bottom of the dress trailed out behind her.

She felt weird wearing this type of clothing, and she froze all movement in order to allow Allura to judge her appearance in it.

"I'm glad I went with blue opposed to yellow," she said as she approached her. "Blue looks really nice on you!"

Kagome blushed and averted her gaze at the comment. "Thank you," she mumbled out after a second or two. "Ah… but the dress is a little snug  _here,_ " she said as she motioned at her chest with both hands.

"Huh?" Allura tilted her head to the side as she thought on Kagome's comment. A second later, she nodded and reached for her hand. "Let's see if we can find something that will help with your issue, then," she said. Not long after saying those words, she pulled Kagome through the door and Kirara barreled out after her.

* * *

She stood in the background as Allura rummaged through a drawer. She didn't know what the Altean woman searched for, so she stood silently as she observed her. A few minutes after she had started her search, Allura stopped and held up a piece of white clothing. She gave a nod, almost as if she was settling on it, before turning and holding it up for Kagome to see.

"This will go over your shoulders and cover your chest some. Hopefully, it will suffice enough to make you comfortable."

Kagome blinked a couple of times before slowly nodding. Allura took that as her cue, and she stepped up to the ravenette. She slipped the cover on and fastened it around her neck so it would not fall off easily. Once done, she pulled it some and let it drape over her chest.

"There !" Allura clasped her hands together and smiled brightly at Kagome. "You look so lovely!"

Kagome laughed a bit and motioned to the towel still wrapped around her hair. "I doubt I look so lovely with a towel wrapped around my hair like this." Allura flicked her hand in a wave and reached to pull the towel from her hair.

"We haven't gotten there yet," she stated with a quick shrug. She pushed Kagome over to a seat in front of a mirror. "Let's do that now, shall we?"

With those words, Allura picked up a brush and began to pull it through Kagome's hair. She brushed it down and pulled the tangles free as she focused on fixing it in a way where her mark was covered by her bangs. After a bit more adjusting, she set the brush down and smoothed out the last few strands with her fingers.

Allura took a step away from her and let herself observe her work. Her heart pounded a bit heavier in her chest once she got a good look at her. Now that she was fully cleaned, Kagome was the complete opposite of what she had been before. Her dark hair was clean and free of the matted tangles and dried blood. Her skin was free of all the dirt and blood left from wounds, and as was her clothing.

"Do… do I look okay?" Kagome eventually asked upon sitting through Allura's silence.

"You look wonderful," Allura assured her. She waved Kagome up and linked their arms together. "Truly beautiful!"

And she was. A sort of ethereal beauty radiated off of her, a beauty that reminded Allura all too much of what she was.

* * *

Since she had the freedom to do so, Kagome decided to explore this new location following her bath. Kirara trotted along behind her, keeping in a close proximity to her in order to keep watch over her.

She wanted to run into one of the humans aboard the ship so she could talk to one of them. She wasn't sure how she would get her questions answered, but she had a few things she did want to ask. A quiet sigh fell from her lips as she shook her head.

A few days had passed since they brought her here, but she had spent most of that time recovering and unconscious. Yet… she wasn't even fully healed yet. Her ability to sense auras was still lacking, and it put her under the weather. Shouldn't it have come back by now? She was okay in every other standard and field now, at least.

A brush of someone approaching from behind her caused her to halt all movement, and the figure behind her did the same. At that moment, Kagome all but celebrated the full returning of her abilities. It was the first time in so long that she had felt such a thing, and it came as a rush of relief. Kagome turned and clapped her hands together as she stared at the man behind her with a look of pure excitement on her face.

"What a relief," she stated loud enough for it to be heard by both parties in the hall. She reached out and threw her arms around him in a hug when she found herself unable to keep her excitement under wraps, noting how he froze out of confusion. She froze next upon realizing what she had just done, and she stepped away with a flustered shade of red coming to stain at her cheeks. "Ah! I'm so sorry!" She stumbled over the hem of her dress and ended up nearly slipping to the ground as she backed away from him.

Shiro blinked a few times as his mind went over the events that just happened, focusing dark eyes on the woman that now avoided meeting his stare. She was rambling incoherent words that eventually drifted into a second language that he could faintly understand through her rambles. He held a hand up, and it paused her jumble of a speech that sounded faintly like an apology.

"You… You're speaking Japanese."

"Yes?" Kagome tilted her head to the side, not quite understanding his curiosity about her native tongue. "Should I not?" she asked him.

"No, no, that's not what…" Shiro shook his head and got a closer look at her. "Are you… You're from Earth, aren't you?"

The answer was yes, but it also entailed to quite a bit of information she didn't even know how to begin to explain. She glanced down at her feet and shrugged. "The whole answer is sorta complicated, but the simple answer? Yes, I'm from Earth."

"How did you end up out here?" Shiro questioned her upon hearing her confirm his prior question. All of his questions lacked any sort of intensity, and they were instead fueled by blatant curiosity. "And what about the markings? And your ears?"

"That's where things get complicated," she admitted as she rubbed the back of her head. She stuck to avoiding eye-contact as she searched for something she could say to answer his questions, only to end up empty-handed in her search.

She didn't know how to answer those questions. Her mind stumbled around as she attempted to form a response together from words that didn't seem to make sense- not even to her.

"I'm from Earth, but… everything else is really convoluted to talk about, and I don't know how to do so."

And she rightfully felt that way. How does one even begin to explain time-traveling, demons, ancient ceremonies, and magical relics? Sure… they were in space at the moment, but humans had been traveling to space for years now. If she were to start talking about her adventures now, it'd open up so many questions that she wasn't prepared to sort through and attempt to answer at the time being.

"I understand that my response is rather... pathetic and unsatisfying to hear, but I would really appreciate it if you could tell me something," she stated then, and he seemed to accept her request. "Uh, this question might seem really strange, so try not to think too hard on it, but… could you maybe… tell me what year it should currently be on Earth?"

Shiro looked at her with even more confusion, and she was getting ready to say something else with he finally gave her an answer.

Hearing his response made her fall silent. Her eyes widened a bit, and she found it hard to form any sort of response. He had confirmed her worries. To actually have a confirmation caused tears to well up in her eyes.

Her rightful time had come once again, several years ago, but she was still unable to return. By now, she was meant to be with her mother, brother, and grandfather, but…

Her knees buckled underneath her, and her ability to stand slipped away from her. She would have hit the floor if it weren't for Shiro catching her before she could drop.

The sting of tears pulled her from her thoughts, and she squeezed her eyes shut at feeling them. After so many years, she was stuck out here. What if her time slipped past her without her ever realizing it? What if she lost her chance to ever see them again?

"Kagome? Are you okay?" Shiro asked her when he found himself supporting her weight. It wasn't hard to do, as she was surprisingly light. When she shook her head, he adjusted how he held her up in case she slipped again. "What's wrong?"

"... I fear that my opportunity to see my family again might be no more, now."

A few tears slipped free as she said that. Daring to say it out loud brought a new feeling to her chest, one she didn't like in the slightest.

"Thinking like that won't help you any," he told her as he hooked his other arm under her so he could help her stand on her own feet again. "You have to hold onto the hope that you'll see them again one day. You'll be defeated by yourself if you let yourself think that way. They must miss you just as much as you miss them, so don't give in- for their sake."

She steadied herself on her feet and took a deep breath to calm herself. The rush of emotions she had experienced since waking in this odd place had taken quite the toll on her, and her body told her that she needed more rest or else she would end up falling into exhaustion all over again.

She thought about Shiro's words, and she attempted to burn them into her mind so she would never forget them.

She wanted to believe them, but a part of her worried that her family in modern Japan might think her to be dead since the years that had passed since then. It terrified her, and she wasn't sure how to handle the emotions it brought on when they got paired with her woes and concerns of never getting to see them again.

She released the breath she had been holding and nodded her head a few times as she let her grip on Shiro fall slack. Kagome drew her hand back and anchored it to her other arm as she glued her gaze to the floor.

"You're right…" she mumbled, tightening her fingers in the sleeve as she blinked the tears away from her blurring vision. Once collecting her composure again, she turned her attention back up to Shiro and offered him a peaceful smile. " _Arigatō, Shiro."_

"No problem," he retorted. It was silent between them, and he turned his attention to Kirara. "I see she's found her way back to tailing after you,' he said.

"Ah… yes," Kagome said as she scooped the feline up. "She's been following me ever since I recovered her."

"She wasn't happy about not being allowed with you while you were still recovering," he admitted. "After being stopped a few times and getting carried away from the door, she stuck around Keith."

Kagome gave a quiet laugh at hearing that. "I'm surprised she relented after a few times," she said, gently brushing her fingers through Kirara's cream-colored fur. "Maybe she started to trust you guys after a little while?"

"Well, each morning we'd find her sitting outside your door," Shiro commented. "She'd be wide awake and alert when someone would check on you, and then she'd go trail after Keith for the entire day."

Kagome laughed louder and paused in her petting. "Yeah… she started to trust you guys then," she said. "You all were making sure I would be okay, and she realized that she could trust you to the task."

She smiled as she eyed Kirara. Not long after, the feline looked up and blinked wide eyes at her.

* * *

After the day she had, Kagome retired to the room that had become her's. She face-planted into the mattress with a low whine spilling from her throat.

A few seconds passed before she rolled over onto her back and stared up at the ceiling of the room.

She was exhausted, even though she hadn't done much. Perhaps it was because it was the first day after she had woken up. Being greeted by so many new things had been a bit stressful for her body, and all she wanted now was a long nap.

She heard Kirara give a soft noise before she abruptly phased into her larger form with a blaze of yellow and orange flames. Kagome jumped up a bit, only to settle down as Kirara clambered up and laid down at the head of the bed. Kagome smiled and threw her arms around the large cat, laying her head down on her chest. Kirara draped her tails over her as Kagome chose to forgo the blanket that was now trapped underneath them both.

"Rest well, Kirara," she mumbled against her fur. "We have a new day to greet tomorrow."


	4. Chapter Three

The following morning when she woke up, she felt downer than before. Her heart was heavier as she began to grasp the full gravity of the situation spread out before her. Kagome sat up and draped her legs off the edge of her bed. Kirara picked her head up with a low rumble starting in her chest. At picking up on the blue-eyed girl's distress over the situation, she sat up fully and nuzzled her head against her. Kagome lifted a hand and began to absentmindedly scratch behind Kirara's ear.

"I dreamt of him last night," she mumbled out. She spoke to Kirara without any shame. A part of her knew that the feline could understand her words, no matter how strange it looked for her to be speaking to an animal. "I dreamt of the ceremony, too."

She knew that if Sesshoumaru was here, he would be furious to see her acting as she was. All his hard work of making her into who she was now seemed to be crumbling away due to this situation. Her heart ached and as did her soul. She wanted nothing more than to curl up in her mother's arms and just cry about what her life had become.  _She was supposed to be with her family now._  Couldn't just one aspect of her life remain simple and predictable for her?

She stood up and stretched in an attempt to brush those thoughts off, but they just kept creeping back to her. A few seconds later she slapped her cheeks with her palms and shook her head furiously. "Enough!" she cried out through the silence of her room. With a low sigh, she turned and snatched the pillow from the bed and dropped it onto the floor.

Meditating would help her when she was like this. It would soothe her and ease her mind simultaneously. She wanted nothing more than to sit and cry to her heart's content, but she couldn't allow herself to do that. Crying wouldn't fix anything, even if it could make her feel better. She sat down on the pillow and folded her legs before taking a deep breath.

She couldn't act that way. She couldn't regress when she needed to be something else. All the work that had been done, all the training she had been put through… if she let herself crumble then it would all be for naught, and she would not allow that to happen.

Kagome let her eyes slide closed as a pink glow seeped up and surrounded her.

She would keep up her training in Sesshoumaru's absence. She would continue to grow stronger, and she would not allow herself to weaken in this situation. That wasn't who she needed to become.

* * *

It was hours later when she was finally interrupted. There was a brief knock at her door. Kagome opened her eyes and blinked a few times before giving the okay for whoever it was to enter. Her eyes lit up a bit at spotting Shiro appear in the doorway. She stood up and turned to face him completely.

"Oh, hello!"

"Hey," he stepped into her room and walked a bit closer to her. "You haven't showed your face today. I was making sure you were okay."

Her smile softened and a warm feeling spread through her heart. "Thank you for worrying about me, but I'm fine," she assured him. "Well, I am now, at least."

"What happened?" he questioned, "are you sure you're okay?"

"Nothing happened," she said with a calm laugh invading her voice. "I just needed to make sure that my heart and soul were well taken care of." She glanced up at him shyly before letting out a sigh. "If I'm being perfectly honest with you, Shiro, ever since I woke up, I've been a complete mess. My mind's been everywhere and I even came undone a bit." Her thoughts returned to her moment with him yesterday and she shook her head. "I crumbled when I should have held it together. If Sesshoumaru had seen that, I'm afraid of what he would have done to me."

"Sesshoumaru?" Shiro repeated the new name not long after she spoke it. "Is he family?" he asked.

"... Sorta," she responded with a quiet giggle. "He's a lot of things to me, but I suppose that family is one of them."

She fell silent then, and Shiro glanced down at her. He spotted the faraway look that appeared in her eyes and he flashed her a smile before reaching out and patting her head a few times with his non-robotic hand.

"It's pretty late in the day already, so why don't you go get something to eat?" he suggested. "You might feel better at least."

She nodded at his suggestion, realizing as he said those words that she was feeling hungry. She had used a lot of energy while meditating, and eating something sounded really great.

"That sounds like a good idea," she admitted with a laugh. They stepped out of her room with Kirara trailing after them. Once she was out of the room she took down the halls in search of something… or someone. At once Kagome knew she was going to find Keith, and she held in another laugh at the idea. "I'll see you around Shiro- oh!" she froze before she could step too far away from him. He looked back at her and paused as he waited for her to say what she wanted. "Thank you again for checking on me. You're nice to worry like that."

"It's no problem," he responded, offering her a smile similar to her own. "I'll see you around."

She nodded as he repeated those words to her, tightening her hands in her dress as she turned on her heel and went in the opposite direction.

* * *

It was a bit later when she decided to search Kirara out. She followed her aura to a familiar place, and she opened the door as she got to it. After a quick look around, she spotted a familiar Paladin laying on his back with Kirara seated on the center of his chest.

"Hello~," she called out into the room. Her voice alerted him to her presence, and Keith stood up while Kirara bounded over to her.

"Hey," Keith turned to face her. "Finally came to collect your cat?" he asked, his tone dipping into aggravation at having her follow him everywhere.

"That was my plan, yes," Kagome nodded her head before letting out a quiet chuckle at the fact Kirara liked him so much. "Though, maybe I should let her keep after you," she said then, "I mean, she seems to be attached to you."

"Mew!" Kirara let out an agreeing sound after she said those words, and Kagome's smile grew wider.

"See?"

"Ugh whatever," he huffed and turned around. It was then that Kagome noticed the item he held, recognizing it to be a weapon of sorts. She blinked curious eyes and stepped closer to him.

"Training?" she asked.

"I was," he said. He looked back at her, only to spot her eyes lighting up a bit.

"Oh, I have an idea!" she said then, "why don't you train with me?" As he seemed to think his answer over, Kagome reached down to grip the bottom half of her dress. She pulled at it some and lifted it so she could tie it up at her hips to enable her with a bit more moving room. After a few tries, she managed to tie it in a way where a bit remained down to cover her upper thighs. With most of her legs now exposed, she glanced back at him with a hopeful look in her eyes.

"Do you even know how to fight?" he asked, folding his arms over his chest with a small smile peeking through his colder features.

"Of course I do," she retorted with a huff. "I've been trained in various forms of combat," she said.

"Fine, if you really want to, we can spar against each other," he said. "You have a weapon or…?"

"I do," she responded with a quick nod. She took a few steps back as a pink glow surrounded her hands. A sword made of pink formed in her hand, and she smiled at the boy across from her. "Well, now I do!"

"Neat trick," he said.

"I have a ton more tricks like that one, but those are for a different day," she said with a laugh. "I'm ready whenever you are, Keith!"

He smirked at hearing those words. "You're on!"

He gave her no time before he ran forward and swung his blade at her. She lifted her own blade as quick as she could to block him and she swung her leg out to upset his balance. She kicked again and knocked him onto his behind as she grinned down at him victoriously.

"Oh, please," Kagome said with a huff. "You'll have to do better than that if you want to take me down, Keith. The man who trained me is an utter monster at technique and form."

As he stood back up, she stepped away a bit more and prepared herself for what he would do next. She did so with a content smile on her face.

While he was nothing compared to Sesshoumaru when it came to training, she knew that sparring against Keith would do some good for her.

At the very least, she'd be able to keep her skills sharpened against him.

"Give it your all," she encouraged. "I'm much tougher than I look, I assure you."

"Then I won't hold back," he assured her. It was silent between them as they sized one another up. When he abruptly ran towards her, once again taking the leading step into the match, Kagome stepped back and swung her blade out to catch his own. They clashed together and Kagome pressed harder into his own.

She met his glare with a cool smile before she suddenly stepped back and swung her leg at his side. He caught her ankle with his free hand and he knocked her onto her back. She landed with a gasp falling from her lips, and she glanced up at him with a scowl flashing across her features.

"Lucky move," she said as she pushed herself up. She picked her sword back up as she turned to face him.

At that point, the real sparring between them finally began. Neither of them was going easy on the other.

When he ran at her again, Kagome rocked her weight backward. She pressed her free hand to the floor as she flipped herself. The added distance put between them allowed her to swing her arm out and snag his blade on her own. She shoved him back some, ducking down when he swung his leg out to kick her.

She took the chance to snatch him by his free hand, and she threw him over her shoulder. He landed a few feet away from her, and she turned in time to see him already getting back up onto his feet.

Kagome watched him closely as he sized her up. She was impressed that he was up already, considering he was human. Her train of thought stuttered then. There was something off about his aura, she noticed then. Up until now, she hadn't paid him much attention, but now that she was much closer to him, she could tell there was something off with it.

It wasn't completely human. It was like Inuyasha's, in a way. There was some human in it, but the other half was something completely different. It was the same with his scent. Half human, but half something else as well.

But what was the other half?

She was pulled from her thoughts at feeling his aura approaching fast. She didn't have enough time to dodge properly, and she ended up landing on the ground when he managed to knock her balance from her.

She hooked her leg around his ankle and pulled him to the ground with her. A second later she was on top of him, and he was pinned with her nails at his throat.

Her hair draped loosely over her shoulders in a thick curtain. The long locks pooled around him and intertwined with his hair as they matched each other's stares. When she dipped closer to him in order to set her nose against his neck, he was taken aback.

No longer was she interested in the fight. No, now she was more curious as to what this man was.

She sniffed a few times before sitting back again. She sat down on his stomach with her legs straddling him.

"What are you doing?"

She blinked at hearing him finally speak. His usually rough tone had gone soft, and the edge usually in it was replaced by confusion. She realized the strange behavior she had just shown.

"I'm sorry!" She covered her mouth with her hand. She had been so intent in figuring the mystery out, that she had completely forgotten that this was someone she had  _no_  connection to. It was normal to place the scent of someone in demon culture, but not in human culture! "My… my um,  _people_  familiarize ourselves with the scent of others to know who they are. Your scent is strange to me, so I was trying to figure it out."

"Strange?" Keith frowned at hearing those words. "What do you mean by that?"

"It's like it's human, but there's something else there…" Kagome said. "I don't know what the other half is."

A low rumble was heard before Kagome was abruptly picked up by the back of her collar. She was dragged from where she sat on top of Keith and moved back. She blinked in curiosity, glancing down at Keith only to spot his very confused and terrified expression.

"What the hell is that?!" Keith yelled as he sat up and looked over the large, saber-toothed beast now pulling Kagome back.

"Oh, calm down," Kagome sighed as she flicked her hand a few times. "It's Kirara. I told you she had a different form, did I not?"

"Yeah, but I wasn't expecting  _this_!"

"No one ever does," she said with a shrug.

Kirara set Kagome down before walking up to Keith. She pressed her large head against him and nuzzled, giving an affectionate rumble as she did so. Kagome laughed when she nearly ended up knocking him over. "She's just stopping the fight," Kagome said. "Either that, or she was jealous."

"Jealous of who?"

"Take a guess."

Keith glared at her for a moment before he flopped onto his back with a sigh. Almost right away Kirara laid on top of him. He let out a huff and tried shoving her away from him. "Too heavy! Get your cat off me, Kagome!"

"A-Ah! Kirara, you'll hurt him in that form!"


End file.
